Sessional Lecturer - FAH380H1S The History of Art and Crime

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Date Posted: 08/19/2026
Req : 49832
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Arts & Science
Department: Department of Art History
Campus:St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Existing Vacancy: Yes

Course

Description:

This course examines the fascinating and complex world of art crime, exploring its role in a range of topics including theft, forgery, trafficking, looting, vandalism, appropriation, and white-collar infractions. Through the study of cases from antiquity to the recent 2025 Louvre heist, it investigates the underbelly of the art ecosystem as well as the motivations and methods of its criminals.

Turning students into sleuths, classes offer a counter-narrative to conventional art history and investigate the legal, ethical, and social complexities of protecting cultural heritage by following its storiesbeyond galleries into courtrooms and criminal investigations.

Through the consideration of art crimes not only as a form of unlawful activity, but also as a lens through which to understand the economics and power of cultural output,the class ultimately asks:
What and who has the ability to determine art's authenticity, value, ownership and place in history?

Estimated TA Support: 85 TA hours

Class

Schedule:

Fridays 3:00pm - 5:00pm (In Person)

Sessional Dates of Appointment: January 1, 2027 to April 30, 2027

* Please note that this position includes the completion of any course work and marking not finished by April 30, 2027.

Please note that should rates stipulated in the collective agreement vary from rates stated in this posting, the rates stated in the collective agreement shall prevail.

Minimum Qualifications:

• MA in Art History or a related field is required;
  PhD in Art History is strongly preferred.
• Teaching, writing, and communication skills in the history of art are required.
• Demonstrated experience in the variety of writing genres and styles associated with art history, including museum exhibitions, publications, reviews, criticism, academic analysis, popular print, and media.
• Demonstrated experience supporting students' academic writing skills.
• At least two years of experience creating and marking undergraduate writing assignments, exercises, and/or undergraduate essays in art history.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous teaching experience in this or a similar course at the university level.

Description of Duties: All normal duties related to the design and teaching of a University credit course, including: preparing and delivering one 2-hour lecture per week; developing and publishing the syllabus and marking scheme through Quercus; preparing relevant assignments for student assessment, and (if applicable) setting and invigilating term tests and final examination/assignments for student assessment; grading and reporting of final grades;

maintaining office hours for academic counseling of students; answering queries by email or appointment; and supervising a TA.

This job is posted in accordance with the CUPE 3902 Unit 3 Collective Agreement.

It is understood that some announcements of vacancies are tentative, pending final course determinations and enrolment. Should rates stipulated in the collective agreement vary from rates stated in this posting, the rates stated in the collective agreement shall prevail.

Preference in hiring is given to qualified individuals advanced to the rank of Sessional Lecturer II or Sessional Lecturer III in accordance with Article 14:12 of the CUPE 3902 Unit 3 collective agreement.

Please note:

Undergraduate or graduate students and postdoctoral fellows of the University of Toronto are covered by the CUPE 3902 Unit 1 collective agreement rather than the Unit 3 collective agreement, and should not apply for positions posted under the Unit 3 collective agreement.

Diversity Statement

The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building aculture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples,Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people…